Full automatic orientator



Feb. 10, 1942. E. w. CARROLL I FULL AUTOMATIC ORIENTA'IOR Filed June 1, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

ELLSWORTH M C4220 Attorney/6'.

Feb. 10, 1942. E. w. CARROLL FULL AUTOMATIC ORIENTATOR 4 sheets-sheet 2 Filed June 1, 1958 I INVENTOR.

blLswoerh' WCAEROLL o ;/"/0u cA- (--1 AIlom g J.

1942- E. w. CARROLL FULL AUTOMATIC ORIENTATQR Filed June 1, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 mm NW I N VEN TOR.

ELLSWOETH W. CARROLL Alton: ya.

1942! E. w. CARROLL FULL AUTOMATIC ORIENTATOR Fi'led June 1, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ELLS W02 7'/-/ [MC/122044 Patented Feb. 10, 1942 FULL AUTOMATIC ORIENTATOB Ellsworth'W. Carroll, San Francisco, OaliL, asignor to S & W Fine Foods, Inc., San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of California Application June 1, 1938, Serial No. 211,140 8 Claims. (01. 198-33) My present invention relates to orientators, and in the present embodiment more particularly to fruit orientators.

When pitting fruit such as peaches, cherries, or the like, by machine it has heretofore been customary to orientate the fruit manually.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a full automatic machine which will take the fruit from a hopper (where the fruit is poured in haphazardly), orientate the stem indent to a predetermined position in relation to the machine and deliver the fruit to a pitting machine in this same predetermined relative position.

Another object is to provide a machine which will in addition to the above, inspect the fruit for proper orientation, reject the non-orientated fruit and deliver the properly orientated fruit as above.

Another object is to provide a machine which will in addition to all th foregoing, orientate the seam which is characteristic of such fruit as peaches and apricots, inspect the fruit for properly orientated seams, reject the fruit having non-orientated seams and deliver the orientated fruit to a. pitting machine with the seam and stem indent in proper position (relative to the machine) for pitting.

Another object is to provide an invention which will be equally well adapted to orientating fruit to a vertical, horizontal, or to any other position of the major axis of the fruit. Thereby making this invention practical for use on any type of pitting machine.

Other objects and advantages will be evident to those skilled in this art.

The mechanism to be first described is particularly adapted for use with that type of pitting machine having a reciprocating feed bar pushing the fruit along a track consisting of two knifelike guideways embedded in the meat of the fruit. And in which the fruit is held with its major axis (that is, a line passing through the blossom end and the stem end) in a horizontal position while removing the pits.

The mechanism shown for severing the tips and locating the side seams of such fruit as peaches would obviously be omitted when building a machine to orientate fruit which does not have such characteristics, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

I will later on describe a mechanism more particularly adapted to orientate fruit to a stem downward position, and to inspect for proper orientation in this position.

The changes necessary to the mechanism shown to orientate fruit to any other relative position are comparatively simple and will be readily-understood by those skilled in this art.

For a better understanding of the invention reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitation, preferred embodiments thereof.

In the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views:

Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of this machine with the front wall removed.

. Fig. 2 shows a top or plan view of this machine, but with the extreme upper superstructure removed. v

Fig. 3 is a top or plan view showing those parts which were removed from Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical view taken at lines IVIV of Fig. 1, looking in the direction shown by arrows, showing the mechanism of station D for orientating the stem-indent to a horizontal plane.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical view taken at lines V--V of Fig. 1, looking in the direction shown by arrows, showing the mechanism of station E, for orientating the stem indent to the shown position.

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical view taken at lines. VI-VI of Fig. 1, looking in the direction shown by arrows, showing the mechanism of station G, to inspect for proper orientation.

Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical view taken at lines VII-VII of Fig. 1, looking in the direction shown by arrows, showing the mechanism of station H, the exit station.

Fig. 8 shows in perspective a unit of three fingers of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 shows the preferred construction for the periphery of rollers made from material having a smooth or slick surface.

Fig. 10 shows an enlarged view of the ends of the two fingers which ride the peach to detect the seam.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings l0 designates generally a housing within which and upon which the operating parts of the orientating mechanism are mounted.

The housing It is secured to and supported by the pitting machine, a part of which is shown at H in Fig. 2. Y

Referring to Fig. 1: Journalled within the pitting machine and extending into the orientator is the drive shaft l2, having secured thereon the sbrocket 13 which drives the endless chain l 4 having attachment links l5 which carry the plates l4. Referring now to Fig. 2: The plates lB-IG are provided with pivots l'll| for the tongs l8-Il which are biased inwardly by the O-shaped spring I! and provided with interlocking gear segments to insure uniform centralizing action of the concave faces which contact the fruit 2|.

In Fig. 1 the housing III is provided with bearings for the-shaft 22 which carries the sprocket 25 for the return of the chain l4, which then passes through the hopper 24 in the direction shown by the arrow, which has an oscillating bottom 25, hinged thereto at 26. This oscillating bottom is adjustable for length and secured at the desired length by screws 21.

The housing I0 is also provided with bearings for the shaft 28 having secured thereto the pulley 29, the eccentric 30 and the sprocket ll, all of which are rotated by the chain l4.

The cylindrical bristle brush 32 is secured to the shaft 33 which is journalled in the housing III and driven bythe tight pulley 34, which is in turn driven by thebelt 35 from the pulley 29. The eccentric 30 is journalled in the eccentric strap 36 which is pivoted at 31 to the hopper bottom 25, thus oscillating the latter. The hopper 84 is also provided with a stationary bottom 38.

It is well known to everyone who hasattempted to secure a slow and uniform feed of fruit (or other non-rigid bodies), from the bottom of a hopper, that the chief difllculty to be overcome is the fact that after the first few fruits or objects have left the hopper, the remaining fruit will be found to have formed an arch over the exit, thus stopping the flow. To overcome this objection, the oscillating bottom 25 is provided to agitate the fruit just enough to prevent these arches being formed. It is also found necessary to provide a space where a few fruits can ride the exiting means (the tongs I8 in this case) free of any superimposed fruit, this space providing a reserve supply of fruit to fill any empty openings, in case the crowding or superimposed weight at the extreme bottom of the hopper prevent all openings in the exiting means at the extreme bottom point. As the tongs l8 are carried through the. hopper 24 they are held open by a stationary cam track 38-Fig. 2 (which forces the ends of the segments 28 inwardly, thus separating the tongs l8), the receive a peach 2l--'A in Fig. 1. The track 38 being secured to the hopper bottom 38. All surplus fruit being brushed back by the brush 32 traveling in the direction indicated by the arrow.

In Fig. 1 the vertical shafts 48 are joumalled in the housing in and restrained from vertical movement by the collars 4|, and the pulleys 42 amxed thereto. The gear housings 45-44 are joumalled on the shafts 48 and are free also for axial movements thereon. Within each housing 43-44 is a pair of spiral gears (not shown). One of these spiral gears is slideably mounted on the vertical shaft which has a sliding keyway so as to revolve the gear with the shaft 40, but yet permit of a free axial movement. This first gear meshes with and drives its mate which is secured to the shaft 45, which is journalled in the housings 43 and 44 and in the fork 43-A which is a part of the respective housings. The shaft 45 has fixed thereon the roller 45 which is preferably made of sponge rubber. Should it be desirable to use some other material, especially a material having a smooth surface, a serrated face is recommended (such as is shown in Fig. 9.)

The housings 42 and 44 are provided with the slideably mounted stems 41 and with coiled compression springs 48 which are Just strong enough to give the desired pressure on the fruit.

A thin, narrow curved knife is shown at 49, suspended by the upwardly extended arms 58 and pivoted at 5! to the frame 52 and having outwardly extending fingers 53 and also provided with comparatively light tension springs 54 to bias the two knives 48 against the fruit so that when the fruit is revolved by the rollers 46 all protuberances will be cut off.

A plurality of tip cut off knives 49 is.preferable, because the radius of the knives being fixed while the radius of the fruit varies. therefore the shorter the cutting edge of the knife 49 is,'the less noticeable will be the result of this difference in radii, see Fig. 2.

Secured to the frame 52 are the stems 55 which are slideably mounted in the top frame 56, and which have the upper ends bifurcated and pivoted at 51 tothe bifurcated ends of the lever 58, best shown in Fig. 3. The link 59 in Fig. 5 is pivoted at 60 to the frame 56 and at 6| to the lever 58, the latter being pivoted at 62 to the connecting rod 62, which is pivoted at the lower end at 64 in Fig. 5 to the lever 65 which is secured to the shaft 66 which is suitably mounted for oscillation. in the brackets 61 of the housing ID. This shaft 65 willbe further described later In Fig. 4 the quill 68 is mounted to slide freely on the stem 41 and in the frame 56, with a collar 59 to halt the downward travel in the position shown. The quill G8 has a suitable mounting at the lower end for a series of radially mounted oscillating fingers 10 which are pivoted at H and provided with a lug l2 fitted to engage the disc 13 which is secured to the extensions of the frame 52 (see also Fig. 3). The lower end of the fingers 10 are rounded off and smooth, to freely ride the peach 2| and are held in engigement with the peach by the counterweights The fingers III are arranged radially to contact one half the periphery of the peach 2| on the horizontal centerline at regularly spaced intervalsfand are preferably arranged in groups of 3 fingers per unit as follows:

In Fig. 8 the counterweights 14 of the center member of the unit has secured thereto two electrical contact bars 15, but electrically insulated therefrom by the nonconductors l6. The counterweights 14 of the two adjacent fingers are equipped with electrical contact points 11 grounded to the housing Ill. The contact bars 15 are so spaced that minor irregularities in the surface of the fruit will not make a contact with the points ll, but so that a major relative movement of the fingers Illv such as is caused by any one of the three fingers it of that unit dropping into the stem indent will establish an electrical circuit. The bars 15 are provided with electrical conductors 18, which are joined together and led to the' electromagnet I9, Fig. 4, which has a conductor which connects with any suitable source of electricity, which source is also grounded to the housing ID in order to complete the circuit. The conductor 80 is also provided with a switch (not'shown) controlled by the pitting machine II for interrupting the current while the chain I4 is being advanced as will be described later.

Referring to Fig. 4,.the link 8| suitably connecting the two housings 4344 through the me dium of the lever 82, which is pivoted at" on the bracket 84 of the housing I0, with a slot 65 sliding on the pin 86, which is secured to the fork 43A, forms an equalizing gear, which is common to each pair of the gear housings 43-44. The lever 81 is secured to the shaft 66 and bifurcated at the opposite end so as to engage the collar 88, and thus provide means for separating the housings 43 and 44 as the lever 81 is moved downward. Fig. 1 shows the electromagnet I9 having suitable brackets 89 and being attached to and supported by the housing I0.

In Fig. 5 the armature 90 is fixed to the rod 9I which is slideably mounted in the housing I and provided at the lower end with a shifting fork 92 which is rotatably engaged with the groove 93 of the sliding clutch member 94, which is slideably keyed to the shaft 95. The sliding clutch member 94 is provided with a cone clutch face at 96 which engages a mating clutch face secured to the pulley 9I which is journalled in the bracket 98 extending from the housing I0. The upper end of the sliding member 94 forms a conical brake 99 with the mating member secured to the housing I0. The sliding clutch member 94 is held in clutch driving engagement by gravity as long as the electro-magnet I9 is not energized.

In Fig. the hollow conical cup I00 is secured to the stem IOI, which is slidably journalled in the frame 56 and connected with a thrust bearing at I02 to the upper end of connecting rod I03 which is pivoted to the equalizing lever I04, which is pivoted to the link I06 which is pivoted at I01 to the bracket 98 of the housing I0. The opposite end of the equalizing bar I04 is bifurcated and pivoted to the thrust collar I08 which is journalled between the flanges I09 which are fixed to the shaft 95. The above mechanism forming an equalizing gear to move the cup I00 and the cup H0 in opposite directions simultaneously. These cups I00 and H0 are biasedtoward each other by the spring III and separated while changing fruits by the lever II2 whichis fixed on the shaft 66 and bifurcated at the opposite end to properly engage the fiange I09, These cups I00 and H0 are preferably made with a conical included angle of 90 and to properly hold the fruit when biased together by the spring III and with the lever I I2 in the shown position.

In Fig. 2 the roller -I I3 is journalled at the end of the lever II4 which is pivoted on the stud H5 which is supported by the housing I0, to which it is afiixed. The lever H4 is biased toward the peach with a comparatively heavy spring II6 mounted in the springseat III which is a projection of the housing I0, and has secured to itself near the pivoted end II5 a comparatively light leaf spring IIB biased away from the lever II4, having an electrical contact point II9, which is grounded to the housing I0, and terminates in the fork I20 which rides the peach lightly. The lever I I4 has an insulated adjustable electrical contact point I'll so mounted that, when the peach 2I which is held and revolved by the cups I00 and H0 has been turned to that position at which the roller I I3 enters the stem indent, an electrical circuit is completed through the electrical conductor I22 which leads to the electro-magnet I23 in Fig. 1, which is connected to any suitable source of electrical energy (not shown) which is also grounded to the housing I0, to complete the circuit.

The foregoing mechanism is so constructed the comparatively light spring II8, thus forcing the contact points H9 and I2I together. The circuit thus completed energizes the electromagnet I23 which lifts the, armature 90 which disconnects the clutch and instantly sets the brake as has been previously described, and thus I stops the peach with the stem indent determined position.

In Fig. 1 the peach 2| is shown in a section taken on the lines XI-XI of'Fig. 2 and is held and revolved between and by the rollers I25, which are mounted with the housings 43-44 and shaft 40, and equipped with the equalizing gear as before described, as well as with an electromagnet operated clutch and brake mechanism such as was previously described at 96 and 99 of Fig, 5. In Fig. 1 the levers I26 and I2'I are freely pivoted to the housing 44 at I28'and held in contact with the peach by gravity. The lever I2'I carries the grounded-to-housing I0 contact point I29 and terminates in a disk with a comparatively large radius best shown in Fig. 10, which also shows the comparatively small radius of the finger I26. The finger I26, Fig. 1, carries the insulated adjustable contact point I30 connected to the electro-magnet I3I by the electric wire I32. These points I29 and I30 are adjusted so that they will make contact only when a sharp seam similar to the seam I33 in the peach I24 in Fig. 10 permits the small radius of lever I26, Fig. 10, to overrun the larger radius of lever I21. Thus occasional fiat spots or bruises from handling are prevented from operating the stopping and braking mechanism. This stopping and braking mechanism being similar to that which has been previously described in Fig.5, parts No. 79, 96 and 99.

in the pre- This seam detecting mechanism can be made I still more selective by elongatlng'the axial length of the seam entering short radius of the lever I26.

In Fig. 6, which shows the inspection station,

the shaft 66 hasafiixed thereto the lever I34 pivoted to the connecting rod I35 which passes freely through a slot in the bellcrank I 36 and terminates in a flange I3'I which will not pass through this slot. The bellcrank I36 is pivoted at I38 to the lug of the housing I0 and has a pivot I39 to support the lever I40 and terminates in a semi-annular seat I4I to fit the base of the average sized fruit when the fruit is being held in the tongs I8. The top of lever I40 is bent and passes through the center of the seat I, while the lower end is pivoted to the connecting rod I42 which is pivoted to the bellcrank I43 which is pivoted on the lug extension of the housing I0, while the opposite end is pivoted to the up-' right spacing bar I44. M

The spacing bar I44is provided with a counterweight to bias the top of the bar I44 toward the left in Fig. 6. The tongs operating bar. I45 must slide from the position shown, to the left, approximately against the wall of the housing I0 and back again. This lateral motion being derived, through suitable means (not shown) from the pitting machine II.

This bar I 45 is so adjusted that whenin the position shown in Fig. 2, it will engage the ends of the gear segments 20 and open the tongs I8 Fig. 6. This exception at station G is accomplished by notching' the bar I45 as at I45 to a depthgreater than the travel required by the segments to fully open the tongs II. The top of the spacing bar I44 in Fig. 6 is of the same dimensions as, and registers with, the notch I45, so that when the bar I44 is raised while the bar I45 is. in the leftward position, intothe notch I46, a'movement of the bar I45 to the rightward position will open the tongs at station G the same as at the other stations.

In Fig. 6 a downward movement of the lever. I34 pulls the top of the bellcrank I35 away from the'fruit I48 which is necessary when changing fruits, andthe return stroke with its over travel permits the seat I to be biased by the counterweight I" to contact the peach I4. regardless of the size of the latter. When the peach I40 is properly orientated the top or bent end of the lever I40 will enter the stem indent and position the spacing bar I44 as shown. However, should the peach I48 be improperly orientated; that is, having the stem indent in any other relative position, the lever I40 will be forced to the right in Fig. 6 relative to seat I, which will raise the bar I44 to result in opening the tongs II, as previously described, thus droppin the peach I48 into the reject discharge chute I48 which is secured to the housing I0.

Fig. 7 shows a transverse sectional view of the transfer station where the properly orientated fruit is fed to the pitting machine II, only a fragmentary section of which is shown, having the stationary opposed knifelike guideways I50 to guide and support the fruit.

The orientator has a short section of similar but separable guideways I5I registering when advanced, with the stationary guideways I50. The guideways I5I are secured to the stems I52 which are slideably mounted in the housing I0 and frame 56, and positively opened and closed by the links I53 and I54, which are pivoted to the double bellcrank I55 which is secured to the shaft and actuated by the connecting rod I55 leading to the pitting machine II by which it is actuated.

Fig. 2 shows a push bar I51 supported and actuated by the pitting machine II. In Fig. 1 the pulleys 42 and 91 which drive the fruit revolving mechanisms are driven by a belt I58 which is interwoven between the various pulleys in order to drive each, andthen passing to and space between the hopper and the tongs, it will drop into the opening between the tongs I8 which are being forced open by cam I0, and be carried forward step by step until it reaches the station A, where dueto the termination of the cam II, the tongs IB-will grip the peach, due to pressure of the spring I0, Fig. 2.

The tongs It still gripping the peach 2| will on the next cycle carry it forward to the tip removing station at B, where the peach 2I is clamped between the two rollers 45 of Fig. 1, which are not revolving at this time. Instantly, upon the completion of the chain I4 advance, five objects are completed simultaneously. Firstly, the tip cutofi. knives 49 and the fingers 10 which are all carried 'bythe frame 52 are lowered to position as shown in Fig. 1. Secondly, the rollers 46 and I25 and the cups I00-IIO are advanced to contact and hold and later to revolve their respective fruits, being biased thereto'by the springs 40 and I I I. Thirdly, the inspection levers I40I4I are biased to operating position by the counterweight I41. The object of providing a flexible means for bringing the rollers and inspection levers into contact with the fruit is, first to prevent bruising the fruit, and second to accommodate the variations in both size and profile. Fourthly, the retractable guideways I5I are brought into a positive operating engagement with the fruit, the entering edge of the guideways I 5| being sharpened to cut into the fruit as shown in Fig. 'I. All the four preceding obback from the pitting machine II, by which it is driven (see also Fig. 2). I

The pitting machine II of necessity has a cam shaft (not shown) to operate and synchronize the pitting mechanism, and inasmuch as the orientating must also be synchronized in step with the pitting, it is in the interests of convenience, accuracy of synchronization and economy to use this pre-existing cam shaft to operate and synchronize the orientating mechanisms.

The functions to be thus operated and synchronized are, first, the endless chain I4 (Fig. 1) opening the tongs I8, raising and lowering the revolving rollers 46 and I25, the cups I00-'IIO and the guideways I5I. Also retracting the inspecting levers I40-I4I, as well as raising and lowering the frame 52, which carries the tip cutoff knives 49 and the fingers I0 at station D; all of which must be advanced or operated intermittently as previously described.

' Operation After a particular peach finally reaches the extreme bottom of the hopper 24, or the free .jects being controlled by the pitting machine II the detecting lever I40 to the seat I will be determined instantly upon contact with the peach I48, thus setting the space bar I44 in proper position. While the detecting lever I4. is being brought into contact with the fruit, the tongs operating bar I45 is retracted so the space bar I44 is free to enter the notch I40. As soon as the foregoing operations are completed the pitting machine will advance the tongs operating bar I45, thus opening the tongs so the fruit is free to be revolved, or to drop into the reject chute I40 if improperly orientated at this station.

Upon completion of the above, the belt I5! is immediately started by the pitting machine II and run far enough to turn each of the revolving fruit at least one and one-eighth revolutions by means previously described. However, the fruit at the orientating stations D, E and F, will be revolved only until the stem indent or seam registers with the detecting means, which will instantly stop the revolution of the fruit as previously described. The tip cutoff knives 40 should be set at a cutting angle that will not pare the peach but which will remove a protuberance such as the tip. With two knives 40, as shown in Fig. 2, each of which encircle slightly more than 45 of the periphery of the fruit, it is obvious that a full revolution of the fruit will subject the tip to the cutting action of either one knife 40 or the other, providing the tip lies within an arc of from 45 to 90 of a transverse hori- "zontal axis, see Fig. 2station B. However,

will inspect for proper orientation and the pitting machine will operate the push bar I 51 to transfer the peach to the pitting machine and return the push bar I 51 to the shown position in Fig. 7. All the foregoing while the chain I4 is at rest, and in accordance with the previous description.

Upon completion of the foregoing, the pitting machine now operates to stop the belt I58 and to retract the tongs operating bar I45 permitting the tongs I8 to again grip the fruit, and also to disconnect the source of electrical energy from the electro-magnets.

As soon as the fruit is secured by the tongs, the shaft 66 is operated, as previously described, to retract all the rollers 46 and I25, the cups I H0, the inspection lever I40, the guideways II, the knives 49 and the fingers I0. As soon as all these have been retracted to clear the path of the fruit, the pitting machine advances the chain l4 and consequently the tongs and fruit one station to the right in Fig. 1, thus completing the cycle, which is now ready to be repeated.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a machine which while fully automatic, will orientate and pit fruits along a definite and predetermined axis, and thus mechanically perform operations heretofore actually accomplished by slow, tedious manual work.

Furthermore the uniformity of output is even better than with manual pitting and the production is high compared to prior methods of orientated pitting. It will also be obvious that uniform pitting along a definite axis insures a quality of output which will bring high prices with th best eye value.

While I have seen fit to describe my invention as applied to peaches and in a preferred form, equivalent means will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art or through the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Means .for orienting approximately spherical fruit having a stem indent therein which includes a stem indent engaging member shaped to freely enter the stem indent of a fruit, means for supporting a fruit in contact with said member, means for rotating said supporting means and the fruit thereon, and means for discontinuing rotation of the supporting means operating in response to the change in the spacing of the center of rotation of said fruit and said member as when said member enters the stem indent of said fruit.

2. Means in accordance with claim 1 in which the fruit is supported for rotation about a substantially vertical axis.

3. Means in accordance with claim 1 in which the fruit is supported for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis.

4. Means in accordance with claim 1 in which the supporting means presents a convex surface to the fruit.

5. Means in accordance with claim 1 in which the supporting means presents a concave surface to the fruit.

6. Means in accordance with claim 1 in which the supporting means engages opposed surfaces of the fruit.

7. Means in accordance with claim 1 in which the rotating fruit supporting means engages a substantial portion of the area of the fruit.

8. Means for orienting approximately spherical fruit having a stem indent therein which includes a stem indent engaging member shaped to freely enter the stem indent of a fruit, means for supporting a fruit in contact with said member, means for moving said supporting means and the fruit supported thereon while the fruit is being oriented, and means for discontinuing movement of the supporting means operating in response to the change in the spacing of the stem indent of said fruit and said member as when said member enters the stem indent of said fruit.

ELLSWORTH W. CARROLL. 

